The Cardinals begin the second half of the season tonight hosting the slumping San Diego Padres. They’ve lost 18 of 22 games and will send former Cardinal Jason Marquis to the mound. After starting the season with nine wins in 14 starts, he hasn’t be able to get to double digits in five tries. Marquis has given up 65 walks, most in the Majors. Giving extra baserunners to the best offense in the NL could be bad news.
Jake Westbrook will make the start for the Cardinals and has been hit and miss since coming back from a DL stint. He has three wins, but he has also lost three contests, including a 5-4 loss to the Cubs last Thursday, where he allowed three earned runs on seven hits in seven innings.
Matt Adams is batting .316 with 26 RBIs and seven homers in just 133 at-bats and has seen more time in the field playing first base, while Allen Craig has shifted to the outfield for injured Matt Holliday, who hurt his hamstring in Chicago. Shortstop Pete Kozma hopes he has broken out of his slump. He was in an 0-for-28 slide until Sunday night’s game against the Cubs, when he finished 3-for-6 with a run scored and two RBIs.